7 Celebrities Who Quit Hollywood

These celebrities decided to follow their hearts and leave fame behind.

By Lesli White

Verónica Paz/Flickr.com

Jack Gleeson

The former king of Westeros on HBO’s hit series, Game of Thrones told the Irish Independent that he planned to retire from acting when his turn on the show wrapped up, saying he preferred a simple life over the glitz of Hollywood. “It was always a recreation before, but when I started doing Game of Thrones, perhaps the reality was made too real for me,” Gleeson said. “The lifestyle that comes with being an actor in a successful TV show isn’t something I gravitate towards.” He also added that his decision not to pursue an acting career after the show was partly the result of his studies at Dublin’s Trinity College, where he’s been focusing on theology and philosophy.